http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/il-gop/ en-us Tue, 9 Jun 2009 02:14:45 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2267692/posts Former Republican Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert's son, Ethan Hastert, has announced he'll run for his father's Chicago-area seat in Congress. The 31-year-old Hastert said Monday he would begin campaigning and fundraising for the 14th District seat. Dennis Hastert held the seat for 20 years and was the longest-serving Republican House Speaker. He announced in August 2007 that he would not seek reelection. Democratic U.S. Rep. Bill Foster of Batavia won the seat in the November general election. The younger Hastert has never held elected office. The self-described economic and social conservative grew up in Yorkville and now is... The Chicago Tribune http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2267692/posts#comment Tue, 9 Jun 2009 02:14:45 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2261412/posts In Illinois, Republicans have been anxiously waiting for Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) to decide whether he’s running for the Senate. If the popular, suburban Chicago congressman enters the race, strategists on both sides of the aisle expect the Illinois Senate race to be highly competitive. But, as Kirk takes his time in making a decision, the party is beginning to consider an alternative plan. And a new name is now being floated – Steve Preston, who served as Housing and Urban Development Secretary in the final year of President Bush’s administration. Preston is a former executive vice president at ServiceMaster... The Politicio http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2261412/posts#comment Sun, 31 May 2009 00:07:56 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2256311/posts Unbelievable. On Thursday, 25 House Republicans joined Democrats in passing HB255. The vote was 86 to 30, with one Democrat voting “Present.” HB255 is a three-pronged attack on the Republican Party Platform. First, it massively expands gambling in the state by legalizing video poker. It also allows lottery wagering over the Internet. Second, it raises the fee for a driver’s license. And third, it imposes sales taxes for the first time on previously exempt grocery items like candy, non-carbonated beverages, and health and beauty aids. Taxes on wine, beer and other alcohol are also increased. Here are the names of... Champion News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2256311/posts#comment Fri, 22 May 2009 15:25:04 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2251557/posts Well here we go again. There are very few actual leaders in Illinois Republican politics to begin with. But whenever we do see one – there’s some school yard bully ready to personally attack that person. A couple of weeks ago a sewer blogging little punk named Tom Swiss made a complete fool of himself for about the 150th time by trying to smear Jack Roeser. [By the way, just earlier today – Jack was awarded the de Fleury Medal by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in honor of his significant contributions to Army Engineering. So be sure to... CHAMPION NEWS http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2251557/posts#comment Fri, 15 May 2009 14:06:02 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2246108/posts SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Party interests blurred and twisted at the state Capitol Wednesday as Democrats, led by a former Republican, teamed up with disgruntled GOP members to change the way they choose their leaders. Top Republicans oppose the change, even threatening to sue over it. What's at stake is whether rank-and-file Republicans will get to vote on who serves on the party's central committee, the governing board for the party in Illinois. Right now, Republican leaders in wards, townships and precincts across the state choose the central committee. Some Republican activists say that system produces a central committee that's out... The Chicago Tribune http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2246108/posts#comment Thu, 7 May 2009 15:08:54 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2234212/posts State GOP Chairman Andy McKenna was at it again last week. He continued to push the ridiculous lie that Senate Bill 600 Of course McKenna never even attempts to explain how it's "punishment" for Republicans voters to have a right restored - one they had for over 70 years, and one the Democrats have always enjoyed. McKenna's faction can't even come up with decent lies anymore. They're finished. In the same article linked above, McKenna was also complaining again about primaries, and worries they are "not constructive." That's all very interesting of course coming from a guy who no one... Champion News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2234212/posts#comment Tue, 21 Apr 2009 13:08:17 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2232626/posts Could another Hastert be in line for a run at the 14th Congressional District seat? Ethan Hastert, the 31-year-old son of former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, confirmed Friday that he has started meeting local leaders and introducing himself as a potential candidate. He said he has made no decisions yet. Hastert's father held the far west suburban seat for nearly 21 years, serving as speaker from 1999 to 2007. Ethan Hastert is an associate at Mayer Brown LLP in Chicago. He worked for more than a year in then-Vice President Dick Cheney's office. The Chicago Sun Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2232626/posts#comment Sun, 19 Apr 2009 06:23:17 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2228189/posts Illinois' Republican chairman acknowledged Sunday that his party's often-bitter 2006 primary for governor "was not constructive" in helping nominee Judy Baar Topinka challenge wounded Democrat Rod Blagojevich's bid for a second term. Andy McKenna also criticized Democrats in the legislature for being "small-minded" by helping push legislation that would let primary voters rather than party officials decide the Republicans' top leaders. Speaking on WGN-AM 720, McKenna said Republican leaders and donors don't want to see a repeat of the four-way 2006 GOP primary for governor that he contended produced a weakened Topinka who was unable to challenge a better-funded Blagojevich... The Chicago Tribune http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2228189/posts#comment Mon, 13 Apr 2009 18:33:22 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2201880/posts http://www.worldviewradio.com/episode.php/episodeid-10978/Brannon-Howse/Brannon-Howse Worldview Radio http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2201880/posts#comment Sun, 8 Mar 2009 14:12:01 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2183652/posts Candidate for 5th Congressional District primary February 9, 2009 Party affiliation: Republican Date of birth: May 12, 1956 Web site: www.RosannaPulido2009.com Occupation: Senior Citizen Advocacy Previous political experience (elective and appointed positions): I have been a grassroots activist that has worked on issues that affect the everyday life of the people who reside here. Senior citizen advocacy and Senior transportation issues, 2ND Amendment rights issues and illegal immigration issues. I have testified before the Illinois General Assembly and in Washington DC. My life experience of seeing problems and lobbying, writing letters and educating the public about the issues is a... The Chicago Tribune http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2183652/posts#comment Thu, 12 Feb 2009 01:03:39 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2178414/posts Barack Obama's election has already brought about change -- a vacancy in Rahm Emanuel's old seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in the Fifth Congressional District ofIllinois -- and that is giving hope to Republicans. Hope that we can begin to take back the Congress, and push back the Democrats' massive, trillion dollar deficit spending plans. Since Obama's election on Nov. 5, Republicans have won the Senate seat in Georgia, and a House seat in Louisiana. Let's make it three straight wins this spring and elect an amazing Republican, Greg Bedell for Congress. We need your support. The March... http://www.bedellforcongress.org http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2178414/posts#comment Wed, 4 Feb 2009 21:06:00 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2169833/posts Rep. Peter Roskam (R-Ill.) said Monday that he expects a crowded field to pursue the Senate seat of Roland Burris (D) and that it might include him. “I do think that Roland Burris is going to be political sorbet,” Roskam said of embattled Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s (D) appointee. He added: “I think you’ll see a whole host of folks coming forward.” In an interview with The Hill, Roskam promoted his Illinois GOP colleague, Rep. Mark Kirk, saying he would be “a very, very strong candidate.” But Roskam also said he would consider the race. The Hill http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2169833/posts#comment Thu, 22 Jan 2009 23:35:55 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2158599/posts First, Obama's fellow Daley machine hack, Rod Blagojevich, tried to sell Obama's Senate seat. Obama's Chief of Staff, Rahm Emmanuel, discussed the future of the Senate seat with Blagojevich. Obama has since "cleared himself" of any wrongdoing. Then, Obama's advisor, Caroline Kennedy, tried to steal a Senate seat in New York, citing royal prerogative. Now, Obama's Commerce Secretary nominee, Bill Richardson, has withdrawn his nomination, amid speculation that he will be indicted for corruption. All this, and Obama hasn't even been sworn in! http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2158599/posts#comment Sun, 4 Jan 2009 19:28:17 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2157236/posts And then Tuesday, we learned that Roland Burris, a guy who has been hanging around in Illinois politics for decades, saw in all of this an opportunity to vault himself into the Senate -- no matter what Obama and every other Democrat from Springfield to Washington thought. Everyone, including Obama, has been exceedingly polite in their public comments about Burris. I have known him for years and I like him. But I have never been confused about the level of his talent. He was elected as far back as 1978 as state comptroller and stayed in that low-visibility office for... Real Clear Politics http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2157236/posts#comment Thu, 1 Jan 2009 18:00:49 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2152367/posts ♫ O Rahm, O Rahm Emanuel! Come and give jobs to Liberals That wait for their appointments here Until Barack Obama appears.Employed! Employed! Emanuel Shall find thee work, oh Liberal! ♫ O Come, thou Rahm with JesseÂ’s boy, Thy Democratic colleagues to employ. After two terms in the wilderness ItÂ’s time that situation to address.Employed! Employed! Emanuel Shall find thee work, oh Liberal! ♫ O Come, thou Chief of Staff and appoint On behalf of The One we did anoint. Disperse those NeoCons from our sight And make some office space for us forthright.Employed! Employed! Emanuel Shall find thee work,... Positive Liberty http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2152367/posts#comment Sun, 21 Dec 2008 22:12:03 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2149405/posts Lt. Dan for Senate from Illinois!!! Lets draft Gary Sinise for US Senate. vanity http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2149405/posts#comment Tue, 16 Dec 2008 04:26:51 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2148681/posts Why did John McCain lose to Obama in the 2008 Presidential election? Was it because of the Obama faux message of change? Obama’s get out the vote? Nope. It was because too many Conservatives and Republicans were not inspired my the maverick because they did not trust McCain to act like a Republican. Suddenly, in the wake of a senate seat for sale scandal and Obama not being openly honest, McCain decides to be “mavericky”. Dear Senator McCain, the way that this has been handled by Obama screams that people ask questions. When even Democrats begin to question the silence... Scared Monkeys http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2148681/posts#comment Sun, 14 Dec 2008 20:31:05 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2148036/posts Valerie Jarrett Who Am I? Chicago Medical Center As Well." (Jay Newton-Small, "Campaign Insider," Time, 4/7/08) "Chicago Is In The Running For The 2016 Olympics … One Of Obama's Top Advisers, Valerie Jarrett, Is The Vice Chair Of Chicago's Bid Committee." (Lynn Sweet, "McCain, Obama, Clinton All Push Bush On China Games," Chicago Sun-Times, 4/10/08) Under A Plan Devised By The City Of Chicago And Habitat Co., "The City Has Lost More Than 13,000 Housing Units For The Poor." (Jason Grotto and Laurie Cohen, "Obama Adviser Shapes City Housing Policy," Chicago Tribune, 7/5/08) "Habitat Has Earned $6.8 Million In Fees... Barack Book http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2148036/posts#comment Sat, 13 Dec 2008 04:44:57 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2145949/posts And in the process, they contradict themselves … twice. Jake Tapper reports: “Obviously like the rest of the people of Illinois I am saddened and sobered by the news that came out of the US attorney’s office today,” said President-elect Obama this afternoon in Chicago, speaking of the criminal complaint against Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich for corruption. “But as this is a ongoing investigation involving the governor I don’t think it would be appropriate for me to comment on the issue at this time.” Asked what contact he’d had with the governor’s office about his replacement in the Senate, President-elect... Sister Toldjah http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2145949/posts#comment Wed, 10 Dec 2008 04:27:09 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2128257/posts Since the start of his race for the Fox Valley congressional seat which took him through two primary elections in February, a special election in March and Tuesday's general election, Oberweis spent more than $4.6 million and pumped a significant amount of his own money into the campaign. After this latest defeat, Oberweis said he has "no plans" to run for office again. "I've learned never to say never because things change, but I'm not planning anything like that now," he said. The Geneva Sun http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2128257/posts#comment Sat, 8 Nov 2008 00:10:30 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2111527/posts • We believe that Barack Obama is a brilliant orator and a man possessed of more charisma than any politician since JFK. • But we also believe that his philosophy of "spreading the wealth around" is an ill-disguised form of socialism that undermines everything America holds dear. • We believe that a "tax cut on 95% of working Americans" when only 63% of Americans pay taxes is nonsensical. • We believe that the Obama campaign's obfuscated funding for ACORN (originally described as "event planning") undermines the integrity of our elections and calls into question the legality of his tactics. •... Doug Ross's Journal http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2111527/posts#comment Tue, 21 Oct 2008 21:47:17 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2109978/posts Chicago Sun-Times columnist Michael Sneed wonders, Who would replace Obama's Senate seat? She's plugged into Chicago's upper-tier social scene, and what she says she hears should be stunning. Sneed hears Barack Obama wants an African American to fill his U.S. Senate seat if he wins the presidency. • • The upshot: U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. wants the spot. • • Hmmmm. That places Gov. Blagojevich, who is charged with selecting Obama's replacement, in a tricky place. • • To wit: Sneed hears Gov. Blago, who dismisses reports of a federal probe, wants to run for office again -- and... Wizbang http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2109978/posts#comment Mon, 20 Oct 2008 07:12:07 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2103779/posts http://home.comcast.net/~thomasaxtell http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2103779/posts#comment Sun, 12 Oct 2008 15:29:38 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2102653/posts The Sun Times today gave a major clue that Barack Obama will indeed go down with Tony Rezko, sooner rather than later. It looks as though Rezko is about to turn on Alexi Giannoulias, the 30-year old State Treasurer of Illinois (who was elected only because Obama backed him). Here’s where all the clues are…and then we’ll walk you through the local Chicago politics on how today’s hint by the Sun Times has us convinced, for the first time ever, that prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald could indeed send Barack Obama to jail. We need to repeat that: we never believed, until... HillBuzz http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2102653/posts#comment Fri, 10 Oct 2008 22:23:10 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2097601/posts I like hearing this: ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) - Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin on Saturday accused Democrat Barack Obama of "palling around with terrorists" because of his association with a former 1960s radical, stepping up the campaign's effort to portray Obama as unacceptable to American voters. Palin's reference was to Bill Ayers, one of the founders of the group the Weather Underground. Its members took credit for bombings, including nonfatal explosions at the Pentagon and U.S. Capitol, during the tumultuous Vietnam War era four decades ago. Obama, who was a child when the group was active, served on a... Holy Coast http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/2097601/posts#comment Sat, 4 Oct 2008 21:42:07 GMT